felt
very
happy, and
I
would have felt much
ashamed for
not
yet
having
responded
to
your
kind invitation had I been
able to write. It
so
happened that
I
injured
my
right
hand rather
seriously
in the
physics
laboratory
two weeks
ago,
so
that the wound had to be closed by
stitches at the clinic.
Writing
still
causes me
considerable
trouble.
But
soon
it will be fine again. I have
not been to Aarau
since,
and
neither have I been able to
write there. In
case
you
correspond with
the
Wintelers,
please
don't write them
anything about
that.
You
certainly
seem
to be in
an
enchanting little nest
at
present.
I
would love to
help
you
kill time there in all sorts of pleasant
ways.
Unfortunately,
my
time
slips
by in
everyday philistine
work;
but
my
hour of freedom is to strike
soon
--
and I
am
immensely
happy
about
that. Starting with the first of August
I'll be with
my
old
lady
and
my
sister in Mettmenstetten (line Zurich-Affoltern-Zug);
you
promised
me
to visit
us
there.
A
man's word is his bond
--
which
means
that
you
must
definitely
come! In
a
week's time I'll be
hiking
on
the
Säntis,
this will set off
some
marvelous
clambering.
Of
course, my
fiddle had
to
be laid aside. I
am sure
it wonders
why
it is
never
taken out of the black
case,
it
probably
thinks it has
gotten
a
stepfather. How
I miss the old friend
through
whom I
say
and
sing
to
myself
all that which I often do
not
at all admit to myself in
barren
thoughts
but
which,
at
best,
makes
me
laugh
when I
see
it in
others...
To
my
greatest regret, I will
not be able to
go
and
see
the
Winteler family for
a
long time, perhaps
in
September,
if I
don't
go
home to
Milan,
which
I
would have first to make plausible to
my
dear
mama.
Also, I
may
be
doing
scientific work with
an
Aarau gentleman
during
the second half of the vacation, and then
many
a
musical hour
will
probably
crop up
for
us.
With the immodest plea that
you
write
me a
few lines
when it
happens
to
rain in
Strada and
you
have
nothing
to
do,
and with
affectionate
greetings,
I wish
you
a
very
enjoyable
and good vacation.
Your
Albert E.
49. VERSE IN
THE ALBUM OF ANNA
SCHMID
August 1899
You
girl
small and fine
What should
I
inscribe
for
you
here?
I
could think of
many
a
thing
Including
also
a
kiss
On
the
tiny
little mouth.
-----------
If you're
angry
about it
Do not start
to
cry
The best
punishment
is--
To
give
me one
too.
-----------
This little
greeting
is
In remembrance of
your
rascally little friend.
Albert
Einstein
128